PETALING JAYA: A 30-year-old police officer was charged with eight counts of rape and attempt to molest two Mongolian women in a hotel two weeks ago.
Inspector Hazrul Hizham Ghazali, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him before Sessions Court judge Norshila Kamaruddin, today.
Clad in a dark blue t-shirt, he was calm and nodded in understanding inside the dock during the entire proceedings.
According to charge sheets, he was alleged to have raped two Mongolian women aged between 20 and 36 in two different rooms at a boutique hotel near here between 12.30am and 11am on April 11.
The offence falls under Section 376(2)(f) of the Penal Code for rape which carries the maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and whipping.
Hazrul Hisham, who was attached to the Petaling Jaya police headquarters, was also alleged to have used criminal force on one of the victims with the intent to outrage her modesty near a roadblock at the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) on the same day.
He was charged under Section 354 of the same Code which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah did not offer bail as there was a high tendency for the accused to harass witnesses.
However, counsel Shah Rizal Abdul Manan pleaded for minimum bail stating that his client had given his full cooperation during police investigation.
The court set RM27,000 bail with one surety for all offences and fixed June 2 for mention.
Yesterday, the accused claimed trial to two charges of human trafficking under Section 13 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act.
He was alleged to have used his position to sexually exploit two Mongolian women aged between 20 and 36 at the hotel between April 10 and April 11. He was released after posted RM20,000 bail for both offences.
Petaling Jaya district police chief Assistant Commissioner Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal on April 12 said Hazrul Hizam was nabbed after police rescued the two victims at a hotel.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that the two women were arrested at a roadblock but were taken to a hotel here instead.
He also said initial investigations revealed that the duo did not have complete travel documents and were suspected to be involved in immoral activities.
Police have proceeded with an interim protection order for them.